Auto-exercising apparatus.



Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

wm, 1 m w 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

awoawtoz was/mm I l. FUX. AUTO EXERCISING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. I916.

Patented Sept. 18, 191?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IVAN FOX, OF NEAR MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTO-EXERCI-SING APPARATUS.

Application filed. November 4, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVAN Fox, a citizen of the United States, residing near Media, Delaware county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements in Auto-Exercising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object broadly to provide an improved construction of apparatus adapted to enable persons using it to cause forces exerted by themselves to have a peculiarly beneficial effect upon the body.

More specifically considered, my invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of apparatus whereby forces may be exerted with greater efficiency than heretofore have been possible to portions of the anatomy adjacent to and underneath the chin and also upon the sides and back of the neck.

A further object is to provide ,means whereby these forces may be applied equally upon opposite sides of the neckso as to exert a pulling force in alinement with the spinal column or whereby a force may be applied to one side only so as to exercise the muscles upon the corresponding side of the neck, shoulder, etc.; or forces may be applied unequally to opposite sides of the neck so as to cause a bending movement of the neck and head.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pivoting or swiveling support for the head which is adapted not only to swivel or turn upon its axis but is also adapted to havea longitudinal movement transversely of its axis.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction of apparatus which is adapted for use by persons of different height, that is to say, persons whose physique is such that the distance from the neck and The foregoing are some of the more important objects of my invention, but it is to be understood that it may have other objects and advantages and the same will be referred to in the detailed description of the apparatuswhich follows or will be apparent from such description,

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated'the form of construction which at present is preferred by me, but it will be understood that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope Specification of Letters Patent.

chin to the knees may be different.

Patented Sept. 18, 1917.

Serial No. 129,442.

of the claims without departing from my invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a front view showing a person in position upon an apparatus embodying my invention and also showing the manner in which the same is used;

Fig. 2 is a similar View but showing a slightly different manner of using the same;

Fig. 8 is a front top plan view of a portion of the apparatus showing certain details of construction;

Fig. t is a transverse sectional view taken on the line ll of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a strap employed in the apparatus; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional View the strap taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, [designates a board which should be of suitable length and which may be supported in any suitable manner,the" supporting means not being shown.

At the lower end of the said board; that is to say, the end over which the legs extend when the apparatus is in use, portions are cut away from the opposite edges as indicated at 9., so as to provide the narrower portion 3. This portionis provided with a series of holes 4 arranged in couples, the respective couples being arranged transversely of the said narrower portion 3. In the construction shown there are three of these couples of openings arranged lengthwise of the portion 8, but the number of such couples' may be increased or diminished as desired. I

6 designates a cross bar having pins projecting from one side which are adapted to extend into or through the holes t. The cross bar may be positioned with the pins in any one of the couples of holes 4. in the lower end portion 3 of the board so as to adapt the apparatus for use by persons of different heights as above suggested.

' t a point intermediate the ends of the board 1 I have provided a head block or rest 10 which is secured upon a base member 11 which rests upon the board 1. The head 7 of the board 1, as shown in the drawings. The screw bolt 12 fits loosely in the slot so that it may readily move therein to thereby position the head block or head rest at (111- ferent points lengthwise of the board. It will also be observed thatthe head rest may be rotated about the axis of the screw bolt 12, the latter serving as a pivot.

16 and 17 designate projecting pins or rods upon the U-shaped member 10 and which extend from one side thereof in a direction away from the adjustable cross bar 6, that is, toward the upper end of the board 1. These pins or rods 16 and 17 are situated in a plane substantially parallel with the board 1 which plane is slightly below the lowerside of the U-shaped opening 11 in the head block or rest 1.0 and areadapted to aid in supporting the head of a person while using the apparatus. This will be obvious from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

When a person is using the device he or she lies upon the board with his or her back against the same. with the back of the neck resting upon the bottom of the U-shaped opening in the member 10 and with the opposite side portions of the back of the head resting against the pins or rods 16 and 17, and with the central portion of a strap 20 underneath the chin.

In the form of construction shown in Fig.

1 of the drawings the opposite ends of the strap are attached to the outer opposite edges of the U-shaped head block or rest 10 by means of the projecting lugs 21 which respectively extend through an opening 22 at each end of the said strap. The U-shaped head block or rest 10 is also provided with projecting lugs 25 below the lugs 21, to which are connected the ends of ropes or cords 26 which extend rearwardly or upwardly and around pulleys 27 secured to the upper end of the board opposite the cross bar 6. These ropes or cords are provided with hand pieces 30 which are adapted to be grasped by the hands of a person using the apparatus, as indicated in full lines in Fig. l. The ropes or cords 26 to which the hand pieces 30 are connected are of a length such that the hand pieces 30 are situated either above or at points in line with the head of the user, so that when grasped by the hands the arms are raised as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1. v

31 designates extensioncords or ropes attached to the cords or ropes 26. These extension cords or ropes are also provided with hand pieces 32. They extend much farther along the board 1 than do the first named cords or ropes 26, so that when the hand pieces 82 are grasped by the hands thearms extend downwardly, that is to say, along the trunk of the body.

In the arrangement first described a force tending to move the head block or rest upwardly or rearwardly, that is, toward the pulleys 27 is effected by a pulling action. of the arms upon the hand pieces 30 and the cords or ropes 26. A similar force may be applied to the head block or rest 10 by the person using the apparatus grasplng the hand pieces 32 and pushing upon the same. The result or action upon the head block or rest 10 and the strap 20 is the same in either case except that in the one a pulling action and in the other a pushing action of the arms is employed.

Were it not for the underneath the drawings, the head would tend to bend forward or, in other words, the chin would tend to move or bend inwardly or toward the chest by the pulling action of the head block or rest upon the back portion of the lower part of the head. The presence of the strap 20 holds the head in a straight or upright position so that the forces exerted thereupon pull in a straight line in the direction of the length of the body or of the spinal column. It is clear that if a greater force be exerted upon one side than upon the other the head block or rest is caused to rotate on its pivot 12, thus enabling the person using the apparatus to exercise and stretch the muscles upon one side of the neck and underneath the chin to a greater extent thanthose upon the other side. 7

' The construction shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings is identical with that shown in Fig. 1, except that the manner of using the device is illustrated somewhat differently. Instead of attaching the opposite ends of the strap 20 to the projections 21 upon the opposite edges of the head block or rest 10 the ends of the cords or ropes 26 are secured to rings 35connected with the central padded portion of the strap 20, as is clearly shown. By thus employing the apparatus and exerting the pulling force directly upon the strap 20, as shown in Fig. 2, the user of the apparatus is enabled to operate, upon, stretch and manipulate more iefiectually the muscles underneath the chin than is the case when the apparatus is used with the strap in the position shown in Fig. 1. In both forms of construction, however, the head rests upon the head block orrest 10 and upon the rearwardly and upwardly extending projecting rods 16 and 17, the latter serving to prevent the head from being bent backwardly under the influence of a force applied underneath the chin, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In order to prevent the strap from injuring the flesh underneath thechin and upon the sides of the. face I have provided a pad at the central portion thereof as indicated at 40.

The manner of using the apparatus embodying my invention will be clear from an presence of the strap 20 the chin, as shown in F ig. 1 of 1 inspection of the drawingsv and from the foregoing description. From these it will be clear that not only may the neck and face muscles be, as it were, massaged, but also the arm and shoulder muscles are exercised and stretched as well as the muscles of the body trunk and the upper portions of the legs.

I claim 1. An exercising apparatus comprising a base member adapted to support the body of a person while using the apparatus, a head rest movably connected with the said base upon which the head of such person rests and means for causing movement of the said head rest to stretch the muscles of the body.

2. In an exercising apparatus, the combination of a base member adapted to support the body of a person using the said apparatus, a head rest pivotally and slidably connected with the said base and means having connection with the said rest for applying a force thereto to effect astretching and manipulation of the muscles of a person using the said apparatus.

3. In an exercising apparatus, the combination of a base member for supporting the body of a person using the apparatus, means adjustably connected With one end portion of the said base member for supporting the legs of a person using the said apparatus upon opposite sides of said end portion, a head rest pivotally and slidably connected with the said base member for supporting the neck and head of a person using the ap- Goptes of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

paratus and means for applying a force to the head of a person using the apparatus to exert a pulling upon the same in the direction of the length of the body.

4. In an exercising apparatus, the combination of a base member ior supporting the body of a person using the said apparatus, means slidably connected with the said base member for supporting the neck and head of a user of the said apparatus and means for applying a force underneath the chin of such user to effect a pulling action upon the same in the direction of the length of the body, the said head rest having means for preventing a backward bending of the head.

5. In an exercising device, the combination of a base member for supporting the body of a person using the apparatus, a head rest pivotally and slidably connected with the said base member, ropes having connection with the said head rest, guides for the said ropes secured upon the said base member at points above the head of a person using the'apparatus and hand pieces upon the outer free ends of the said ropes adapted to be grasped by the hands of a person using the apparatus to enable such person to pull upon the said ropes and effect a pulling force upon the head and chin of a person using the said apparatus.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 1st day of November, A. D. 1916.

IVAN FOX.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

